Bidding indicator for card tables



April 5, 1938- K. B. HOLLAND 2,113,049

BIDDING INDICATOR FOR CRD TABLES Filed March 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1v 23 /Ila n 2 22M |{l||||||||l| hllllllllhll/ lluyllllll IIIII/I4IIIllllllllllllll 'INVENTOR HMB. Hallan/CL BY @,XQMM' ATTORNEY April 5,1938. K, Q HOLLAND 2,113,049

BIDDING INDICATOR FOR CARD TABLES Filed March 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Hm w/f Il mmlul lll "InmxlIl /J' LJ i JUUJ K B. Ho Z Z can/6L a @M .am

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE f Kent B.Holland, Sacramento,.0alif. Application March 29, 1935, Serial No.13,673v

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a bidding indicator for card games and isdirected particularly to a visible bidding indicating means incorporatedwith the playing surface of a card table.

In card games, such as auction or contract bridge, a player ofteninterrupts andslows down the game by making inquiry as to the prior bidof one of the other players. This is not only an annoying occurrence butalso causes the game to lose some of the zest which makes it soenjoyable.

To overcome this objectionable feature of the game and to avoid argumentas to the bids made it is my principal object to provide for each playeran illuminated bid indicator in combination with the surface of a cardtable, each indicator being operable by the individual player.

It is also my object to providey a device which will enable deaf anddumb persons to rapidly and eiectively convey their bids to theknowledge of the other players.

It is also my object to provide a combination bidding indicator and cardtable which is simple in construction and yet one which will be exdceedingly eiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a card table top constructed according tomy invention, with the cover partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan View illustrating two sets of bidding numeralsperforated in the card table top and illustrating the control fingersfor the shutters. A two bid in hearts is illustrated.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the same portion of the table topillustrated in Figure 4, the control fingers of the back row of shuttersbeing partially broken off.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral I denotes generally a card table top, preferablyformed of metal. Adjacent each side edge of the card table and parallelthereto is a group of rows of numerals and letters perforated throughthe top of the table. Each group of rows of indicating numerals andletters includes every possible bid which the individual player maymake. Any particular bid will be indicated in either one of the frontrrows 2 or back rows 3. The rows beginning `with C, D, H, S, and NTindicate the five possible types of bids,y while the rows comprising theletters P, D, RD, V, indicate pass, double, redouble, and vulnerablerespectively. The rows of numerals and letters of course face away fromthev player making the bid or away from the side edge vof the tableadjacent which theyare disposed. Secured touqthe under side of the tabletopI beneath each groupof rows, is an electric light' box 4 which isopen to the under side of the table top. Disposed in the boxlongitudinally thereof is a plurality of suitable electric socket and'globe units 5. The interior of this box 4 is enameled white in order toafford a reflected as well as direct light through the perforateportions of the table top.

The inner side B of the light box 4 is hinged as at 'I in order toprovide accessibility to the electric globes. Av catch 8 normally holdsthe side 6 closed while louvers 9 formed therein provide an outlet fromwhichthe `heat of the globes may escape. v Slidably mounted beneath:each of the perforatenumerals and letters, except the suit indicatingletters are shutters III and IIla. of the front and back rowsrespectively. As the moulding and operation of all the shutters in allthe series of rowsis the same, a description of the mounting andoperation of the shutters of one adjacent front and back row is deemedsuflicient for the purposer of this speccation. A typical front and back4row is illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

Each of these shutters whether in the front or back row isheld'r inplace by guide plates I2 which not only guide the shutters but alsoprevent any light from escaping about the shutters when closed. i YVSecured to each ofthe shutters III and Illa. are control iingers I Iand I Ia on which are printed identifying symbols facing the player, asshown. These iingers extend from the shutters out through the-dependingside skirt I3 of the card table to a termination in nger nubs I4. Theselingers I I and IIa. are offset downward beneath the table as at I 5inorder that they may be more conveniently located exteriorly of the sideof the table. The control fingers IIa being relatively long are suppliedintermediate their length by a bar I6 which not only serves as a supportfor the fingers Ila but also as a stop for the opening movement of theshutters Ia .and a stop for the closing movement of the shutters l0.Another guide plate l1 mounted adjacent the side of the table slidablysupports both the control fingers Il and Ila.

The corresponding numerals or letters of the respective front and backrows are offset lengthwise of the rows so that they are in staggeredrelation to each other. Thus, the fingers Ila pass between the shuttersl0 and do. not interfere with the light which passes through a perforatenumeral of the front row when its shutter is open.

Also by staggering the rows', `the control fingers are equally spacedwhich facilitates operation thereof. The fingers of one row are shorterthan those of the other row, which also lends to the ease of operationthereof. y

The top of the card table l is slightly convex for the purposehereinafter set out. Glued, or otherwise attached to the top of thetable is a sheet of felt or the like I8. The numerals and letters areperforated through both` the metal and the felt. l

A translucent playing cover I9 covers the entire top of the table andextends over the edges down to a hem through which a draw string 20passes. A groove 2l extends about the sides of the table and receivesthe draw string and hem in order to securely hold the cover in place.This cover I9 must be of translucent cloth in order that the lightpassing through the perforate portions of the table will penetrate thecloth and v illuminate the same to correspond with the perforation. Thedraw string in the hem of the playing cover is used in order that thecover may be taken off and washed etc. and then replaced smooth and tautover the table top. It isnecessary that the playing cover be taut overthe top of the table in order to assure a perfect illuminated outline ofthe numerals and letters. The top of the table being slightly convexmakes it amuch easier task to draw they cover taut.

Secured to each corner of the table is an ash tray or drinking glassreceptacle 22. When the table is not in use and is folded up tobe storedon edge, these trays serve as legs upon which the table rests therebypreventing injury to the control ngers Il and Ha which project out fromeach side of the table.

Drawers 23 for cigarettes, matches and other accessories are formed inthe sides of the table adjacent the corners and beyond the rows ofperforations, as shown.

In use, the card table is set up and the cord (not shown) leading to theglobes is connected to any convenient outlet. At once the outlines ofthe perforated letters indicating the five suits are illuminated on theplaying cover due to the fact that these letters have no shutters.

Then, as the bidding begins, each player as his or her bid is madegrasps the corresponding control finger and pulls the shutter open, thusilto again bidding.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specication sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a card table having anl opaque top provided with perforatedopenings in symbol form adapted to be selectively illuminated from underthe top, means to thus illuminate the openings and a translucent playingcover extending over the top and openings `therein whereby to permit ofmovement of cards over the table without interfering with the edges ofthe openings and also rendering the openings invisible when the latterare not illuminated.

2. A card table including a permanent rigid top provided with symbolforming openings adapted to be illuminated from below, a translucentfabric playing cover removably mounted on and extending over the entirearea of the table top; such entire surface area of the table top beingconvex whereby to assist in the close engagement of the fabric coverwith such surface and insure the Outline of the openings whenilluminated being sharply visible through the playing cover.

3. In a card table, an opaque top having a front series of spaced bidindicating symbol openings cut therethrough extending along and adjacentone side edge thereof, and a back series of similar spaced symbolopenings disposed inwardly of the front series, the symbols of the twoseries being staggered lengthwise of said side of the table, individualshutters for all the openings of both series, means for operating theshutters of the front series from adjacent said side of the table, andmanually actuated operating elements for the shutters of the back seriesof symbols extending under the table top from outwardly of said side toconnections with said shutters and disposed in line with the spacesbetween the symbols of the front series.

ICENT B. HOLLAND.

